Gordon Huang/HIGHLANDER


Feb. 17, 2012
Highlanders 5 – Cougars 0

The Highlander baseball team faced off against Brigham Young University this past weekend for a three-game home stand. It started off with a double header Friday. UCR won the home opener 5-0, but failed to get the sweep, losing 6-2 in the second match-up.

Riverside had great pitching from Dylan Stuart, who went nine strong innings with one walk, seven strikeouts and five hits as UCR held BYU to zero points. The Highlanders had a great game with five runs scored on six hits, but struck out 10 times.

UCR did its damage in the second inning, scoring four runs on three hits. It started with a Vince Gonzalez walk and a Kyle Boudreau double to center field for an RBI. Phil Holinsworth reached on an error and later scored on a single by Devon Bolasky to center field. Eddie Young later singled to right field, scoring Drake Zarate, and that was their last run of the inning as Clayton Prestridge struck out for the final out.

The Highlanders’ final run came in the sixth inning when Zarate was able to reach on base on a single to shortstop. Zarate reached third after a bunt by Nick Vilter and then scored on a wild pitch. Stuart then came to pitch for his complete shut out, striking out the side to end the game. UCR won by a score of 5-0.

Feb. 17, 2012
Cougars 6 – Highlanders 2

The second game of the double header Friday was a different story for the Highlanders. UCR was unable to get the sweep on the day, losing to BYU by a final of 6-2 at the Riverside Sports Complex.

UCR struck out 10 times for a combined 20 on the day and only had one RBI to go with six hits. Eddie Orozco started for the Highlanders but only went four innings, allowing five runs, six strike outs and allowing five hits.

UCR allowed six runs on 11 hits and couldn’t seem to find its offense in the entire game. In the bottom of the first, Devon Bolasky doubled to left and reached third base from a bunt by Phil Holinsworth. Clayton Prestridge got the only RBI in the game, hitting into a double play and scoring Bolasky in the process.

The Highlanders were able to score one final time in the third, but were held to two runs. Coach Doug Smith was asked about the team’s performance in the double header. “It was critical to win the home opener, but too bad we didn’t get the second game. I thought the two bad things by us were: we struck out 20 totals times, 10 in each game, and played poor defense. We can’t do that. We have to be an offense type team.”

Feb. 18, 2012
Cougars 8 – Highlanders 4

Saturday afternoon the Highlanders finished the three-game series against Brigham Young University with a loss. Riverside was unable to find its stroke against BYU’s starter Adam Miller en route to an 8-4 loss in extra innings. Miller retired the first seven UCR batters he faced and did not allow a hit until the bottom of the fifth.

UCR continued with its strikeout problems, striking out eight times on nine hits with only four RBIs. The starting pitcher for Riverside was Trevor Frank who went five innings, allowing two runs on three hits and three strike outs. After Frank, the Highlander pitchers never seemed to get it going as they had a total of seven relievers coming into the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Highlanders made their comeback, scoring three runs on five hits and had one man left on base. Clayton Prestridge singled to center field for one of the four RBIs. David Adriese singled to third for an RBI, followed by a Vince Gonzalez double for the final RBI to send it into extra innings.

BYU came out to the top of the tenth with their guns firing. They had five hits while scoring four runs. That put the Highlanders in a deep hole and UCR was incapable of another comeback. The Highlanders were only able to stagger one hit that came from a single by Phil Holinsworth. UCR lost 8-4.

The Highlanders host San Diego State on Tuesday, Feb. 21. First pitch is slated for 6pm.